Hidden in the Bible is a previously unrecognized pattern of commandment violations, a pattern that has gone undetected for over two thousand years. In the books spanning Exodus to Kings the nation of Israel is presented to the reader as thoroughly defying its covenant with God by breaking each of the Ten Commandments, one by one, book by book, in order, until there are none--leaving God with only one choice: The destruction of the nation. After the last commandment is broken, the nation finds itself living on borrowed time. First the northern kingdom (called 'Israel') in 722 BCE and then the southern kingdom (called 'Judah') in 586 BCE are destroyed by the Assyrian and Babylonian armies, respectively. Upon the defeat of the southern kingdom, Jerusalem is razed and the Temple, the very dwelling place of God, is destroyed. The survivors, God's 'chosen people', are exiled, no longer to live securely in their 'Promised Land'. In this book esteemed biblical scholar and editor of the Anchor Bible series David Noel Freedman traces this hidden trail of sin, this scarlet thread of commandment violations running through the tapestry of Israel's history. What the reader discovers is that the presence of this thread betrays the hand of a Master Weaver or Editor who has skillfully woven into Israel's history a message to a community in exile that their present condition is not the result of God abandoning them, but of them abandoning God. Written in an accessible style and with Dr. Freedman's characteristic wit and insight, this latest volume in the Anchor Bible Reference Library is sure to challenge and provoke, as well as entertain, readers of all kinds.
